my first chickens... need answers

[tnfarmgrls]

I bought 6 chicks in aug. One turned out to be a rooster. My hens just started laying. Can we eat these eggs? Don't know if I should separate the rooster from the hens or not. I know this is prob a silly question, but we don't know too much about chickens except general care. Lol we are trying to learn! Love collecting the eggs, but so far they sit in a basket looking cute!

 

[Deanner03]

You can definitely eat them. They don't taste any different if they are fertile or not. Enjoy the fruits of all that labor!

 

[J.Pryce]

Sure you can eat them. You only need seperate your Roo if you do not want fertilized eggs.

 

[grendel]

you can eat the eggs,but with a rooster there is a slight possibility of there being blood or chicks(if eggs aren't collected often)in them.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Eat the eggs! They are wonderful. Fertility has no impact on taste or nutrition. Just be sure to collect the eggs daily, and if you find any in a new location that you have not collected from before and not sure they are fresh don't eat those ones. This is with or without a rooster BTW.

 

[mgw]

Welcome from Eastern Wa. The eggs are perfectly fine to eat.

 

[Wisher1000]

tnfarmgrls - Isn't having chickens fun? I STILL smile when I open the nest boxes and see the eggs. It's like I can't believe there is ANOTHER one, I mean, I just collected one from that hen yesterday! I often get them while they are still warm from the hen's body and those I put against my cheek. It just feels nice! It is a wonderful feeling to walk back to the house with both hands, and sometimes pockets, full of eggs. Okay, so your questions, first of all, eat your eggs. They are not only tastier than store bought but are better for you. Prepare yourself for the yolk color to be more rich and intense (orange) than the store bought ones (yellow) especially if your girls free range and can pick up lots of yummy grass, bugs and seeds from the yard. Also the "white" may look a little cloudy, that's just because they are fresher than any you have probably ever seen! The eggs can be kept at room temp (for a week or more) or refrigerated (several weeks!) I, personally, refrigerate mine because I can easily protect them there I have 3 boys) and don't use them as fast as my girls provide them. Oh, and if you like boiled eggs, keep a batch back for about 3 weeks for that purpose. Really fresh eggs are impossible to peel (shell?) easily compared to older eggs. That's why store bought eggs are easy to peel, they are not fresh. As for the rooster, there is no difference. You can (and will) get blood spots from any egg whether they are fertile or not. Just scoop them out if you want but it won't hurt to eat them. An egg has to be brooded (mothered) for at least a week to even start developing. That's why you are cautioned to be certain to collect daily or every other day to ensure that the egg hasn't started developing. If you have nest boxes for them (and they are using the boxes you provide) it is easy to know when the eggs were laid. If your girls like to send you on an egg hunt then you may not know if it has had some incubation. If that happens, just break it in a bowl and if it looks unappealing then scramble it and feed it to a pet (even the chickens!) I know, feeding eggs to chickens just seems wrong, but you know, they love the taste as much as I do! Don't worry about the rooster. Your girls will be happier with him around, well at least for protection! Ha! You have found the greatest source for information and comradery - BYC! Welcome aboard!

 

[Lyon3mchics]

Ok - Had to post - We (my daughters and I) are knew to chicken life too. This website has been a life saver for us. Isn't funny how these pets...oops I mean chickens become a part of our lifes!!!

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Ummm. no, not really. Blood and meat spots happen when the egg is being formed are are just as likely in unfertilized eggs as they are in fertile ones. You just don't see it much in commercial eggs because they candle them and that stuff gets sorted out. I find that blood and meat spots are much more common in young pullets and I don't see them very often after they get their systems running properly--just like the double yolker eggs drop off too as they get a bit older.

As far as potential chicks goes that is only a problem if you have a hen that is actively broody and someone collects eggs out of her nest by mistake--or on purpose if you happen to have a smart*** in the house who thinks it's funny to watch someone crack one open.

 

[Wisher1000]

Lyon3M -

to you and your daughters, too! Yes, my life revolves around a bunch of feathered divas! lol Sometimes I think my husband is jealous...